The Swiss president’s commute goes viral on twitter

In stark contrast to the president of the United States, the Swiss president was shown in a photo, taken by Le Temps journalist Serge Jubin, standing on a railway platform in Neuchâtel waiting along with the general public for his train to arrive. No armour plated limousine in sight. Jubin’s tweet reads: “Switzerland, a wonderful country where the president happily taps away on his smartphone surrrounded by regular train travellers while waiting for his train at the railway station in his home town of Neuchâtel.” The photo was retweeted hundreds of times around the world.

In Switzerland the seven-members of the Swiss Federal Council, akin to a cabinet, act collectively as the head of state. Every year one of the seven acts as the nation’s president, a largely ceremonial role as executive decisions are taken by all Federal Council members together.

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